When I Walk With You
by ArtificialRoses
Summary: Because of her magical abilities and odd personality, Sophia, Molly and Gale's daughter, is shunned by the people of Castanet Island. She is granted the adventure of saving the neighboring Sunshine Islands, but what will happen when a certain silver-haired cowboy strikes a new feeling in her heart? Will she be able to fulfill her duty for the Island and the Harvest King? OC/Vaughn.
1. Chapter 1

A/N: I'm taking a leap with mixing two HM games together, but I believe it will be fine. I'm using Animal Parade and Sunshine Islands (mostly taking place in the latter).

Now, of course I had to change some aspects so it fits in my story, such as adding in more characters so they seem like actual TOWNS, but I will try to keep it as close to the original games as possible.

Thanks and please enjoy!

"One magic mushroom, diced… three and a half cups of pure spring water… a sprinkle of gold ore dust…" The muttering came from the silver haired girl leaning over a simmering copper pot. Her tanned hands were busily working, from tossing in ingredients to stirring the odd concoction with a ladle.

Her brow furrowed in confusion as she leaned in closer, "Hmm… why isn't it-" she yelped in surprise and jumped back as the liquid exploded out of the pot, splattering all over the country style kitchen. There was a long pause before the realization steeled on what just happened. The girl slowly lowered her arms shielding her face until they fell to her sides, staring at the mess.

"Sophia?" She gasped as a voice emanated from the hallway, quick footsteps following. "What was-" The girl turned to see her mother, who halted at the entrance of the kitchen, mouth agape. The mixture that had been previously in the pot attracted the older woman's attention. Sophia, too, gave a quick look to the room and cringed as she realized the mess she'd created was greater than she had originally anticipated. Transparent blue splatters were splashed everywhere; the table and cushioned chairs, the once spotless wooden counter tops, and some even found its way onto the ceiling above the pot.

Sophia's cringed look became a strained smile as she looked back to the figure standing speechless in the doorway. "Hi, Mom."

"Sophia… how-" she stopped mid-sentence when she saw the liquid had started to permeate thin tendrils of mist. She threw her hands up in defeat with a tired sigh, "Just clean it up."

Sophia exclaimed an apology to her mother's disappearing figure into the hallway. She heard her mumble something along the lines of, "I swear…between her and her father, the house will be in ruin."

Sophia turned to her disastrous experiment and ran a hand though hair, expelling a huff of air through the side of her mouth, "I'm going to have to start all over…again." She proceeded to clean the poor kitchen, which consisted of scrubbing, soaping, more scrubbing, and drying. Though it only took half an hour, to her, it seemed twice as long.

There was one last stain that Sophia was furiously washing out on the floor when she heard a stampede of footsteps that grew louder and louder along with, she noted, the jangle of dog tags. Before she had any time to identify who was making the racket, a throng of collie puppies-muddy collie puppies- ran into the room, slipping and sliding on the hard wooden floor. Their rambunctious presence made Sophia fall back on her rear.

"No, no, no! Come back!" a small preteen with short wavy hair, her sister Anna, came running in with a disheveled and breathless presence to her. Sophia quickly stood up as to not get any mud on her white vee neck and dark jean capris. The preteen stopped and made eye contact with the largest puppy, who seemed to be the leader of the canine quartet. "No, don't you dare…"

The said puppies stood at the open kitchen door, which led outside. They wagged their tails and squirmed fervently. Not breaking eye contact, Anna lowered herself to her knees, beckoning them with a sweet voice, "Come here, it's okay," The leader gave a yip, which Sophia noticed, almost sounded defiant, especially now that the dog was slowly backing towards the doorway. Sophia watched this odd fiasco with interest. That is, until she looked down at the floor.

The mischievous puppies finally made a break for it, sprinting away on their chubby legs, "NO, WAIT!" Anna scrambled to her feet started to chase after them, but before she could get to the other side of the kitchen, Sophia yanked her by the shirt collar, and agitated frown tugging her features, "Hold up," Anna mirrored her expression with add confusion. "What? You're gonna let them get away!"

"They're fine, but I can't say the same about the floor."

"Oh…"

Mud smeared across the floor, along with multiple trails of small paw prints. Sophia would have found the scene laughable if she didn't just scrub the whole kitchen.

"I'm not cleaning that up," she said pointedly and flicked her hand over to the side cabinet, where a mop floated over to her awaiting palm. It was almost as if a phantom was carrying it to her.

The snared girl leaned her head back and groaned, "But it wasn't even my fault! They squeezed through the fence!"

"I just finished cleaning in here. I'm not doing it again."

Anna's thin brows rose, "You had to clean earlier?" Her face adopted a cheeky smirk, "Were you trying to make that 'tidy-up' potion again? Ironic isn't? The potion that's supposed to help with cleaning always makes the biggest mess."

A brief silence was met as both sisters stared at each other, the elder having a muscle in her jaw jump in annoyance. Sophia thrust the mop into the other's hand.

"Bye." She said tersely.

Anna's mouth dropped open in surprise, "Hey, you're not even gonna help me? I-I was just kidding about the potion thing!" She exclaimed to her sister's retreating back.

Sophia was already walking down the dirt path when she heard, "Ewwww…This is _not_ mud!"

The walk to the town on Castanet Island was laden with waves of heat, though the summers were always amazingly hot. Humidity clung to Sophia's skin as did her clothes. A symphony of cicadas was heard in the trees, along with the soft clash of the ocean against the sand. Comforting sounds she had grown up with.

Even in the heat of the day, the townspeople were out and about, minding their shops, fishing on the weathered docks, or just visiting neighbors. The weather wouldn't stop the turning wheels of a productive afternoon though, of course, it wasn't without a few complaints.

"Oy…" Despite her usual fondness of the warm season, this particular summer day was a little overwhelming even to Sophia. The humidity sticking to her mingled with the perspiration dotting her olive skin.

"Hey, Soph!" From the docks, Sophia could see a young girl around her age. In one hand, she held a fishing rod; the other was waving to her.

"Angie," Sophia greeted, walking towards her. She sat down on the edge of the pier next to the lavender haired girl, minding the barnacles that inhabited the legs of the wooden structure. The chilled breeze from the sea water lashing against the dock cooled Sophia's legs, for which she was grateful. She leaned back, a contented sigh escaping her lips. "Ahh… now I know why you're over here."

"I know, right? It feels amazing," Angie reeled in her line and set the fishing pole next to her. She grimaced and plucked at the side of her pale pink tank top, showing small spots of sweat that seeped into it. "Though my upper body is still sweating like _crazy._Blegh."

Sophia smiled softly at her friend. Though their personalities were not that similar and they didn't share many of the same interests, Angie was the only person who seemed to enjoy her company. As a result, the two girls spent a lot of time together. "How did it go with David yesterday?"

At the sound of her crush's name, Angie's deep blue eyes lit up and a childish smile graced her face. Excitement seemed to pour from her as she turned her whole body toward her companion, now sitting on her knees, "Oh Sophia, I was so nervous yesterday that I almost backed out. But, then he walked into my mom's tailor shop. He looked so handsome… Blonde hair… blue eyes…"

"…And?"

The delighted girl snapped out of her mini day dream, faint color rising to her cheeks. "Anyway, I just pulled myself together and said to myself, 'Angie! Quit being such a damn wimp and get over there!' So I marched right up to him and asked if he would go out with me. And you know what he said?"

"No, that's why I am asking you."

Ignoring Sophia's answer to her rhetorical question, Angie leaned forward, getting close to her. "He said yes!" She leaned back and started bouncing on her knees, oblivious to the rough planks beneath that were rubbing them red. "Isn't this great?!"

As if Angie's own elation was contagious, Sophia found herself grinning widely. "That _is _great! I would hug you, but it's really too hot."

The tailor's daughter laughed, a chorus of delicate bells, "You can hug me once we go to your dad's place. That's where you were going, right?"

"Yeah, but I was going to go to Ocarina Inn for lunch." Sophia peered up at the glaring sun, more aware of the heat than ever, "Speaking of which, let's go now."

"Agreed."


	2. Chapter 2

The Ocarina Inn was more crowded than usual, being one of the few buildings in Harmonica Town that had an air conditioner. Plus, there was great food. Children sat at the booth eating seemingly insurmountable amounts of ice cream sundaes drowned in chocolate and caramel syrup. The older customers sat at the tables, sipping glasses of cool iced tea or water with plates of luncheon food.

Sophia's fiery skin cooled as soon as she and Angie stepped in the restaurant. It was a gorgeous feeling. They stopped at the entrance to savor the wonderful AC, the door closing behind them. "Oh Goddess…" Angie moved her thick hair to one shoulder, letting the cold air hit her neck and took off two hair ties from her wrist, handing one to the taller girl.

"Thanks." Sophia proceeded to put her hair into a ponytail.

"Hi, girls!" A young woman, who was notably pregnant, greeted them. She zipped around serving tables and weaving around the customers. "We're a little busy, but I'll get to you in a second!"

"Hey, there's a table." Sophia pointed over to a two person table in the corner of the room. A few moments went by after they sat down before the busybody waitress came over with a pad of paper. With a whirl of her hand she flipped a pen and clicked it, preparing to write. "So, what can I get you two?"

They ordered their meal, knowing the whole menu by heart because it was their favorite place to eat and the inn has been around since before they were born. Sophia looked at the cheerful woman with a disgruntled look. "Dakota, why are you here?"

Taken slightly aback by her bluntness, Dakota smiled a little wider when she realized what she meant. "Oh, just helping my parents with the restaurant. I figured they'd be really busy today."

"It's hard to believe my brother hasn't dragged you home yet."

"Oh, no he's tried. Roland's stopped by twice already," She pushed a lock to strawberry-blonde hair behind her ear and giggled. "He's so cute sometimes!"

"Dakota, I could use a little help over here!" Another older waitress with very similar features to the other was balancing platters loaded with food precariously on her arms.

"Coming!" Dakota shouted over her shoulder. "Well, I need to get back," she leaned in slightly. "I would rather be cooking, but I'm too fat to fit in that small kitchen!" Without another word, she turned and rushed over to save the waitress in peril.

Now that the two were alone, Sophia rested her chin on her interlaced fingers. "So…"

Angie looked at her with feigned innocence." So…?" She echoed.

"When are you two going on a date?"

As if waiting forever for that particular question, Angie grinned from ear to ear and said excitedly, "Tonight! We're going to the Brass Bar for dinner."

Sophia raised her brow, mirth twinkling in her eyes. "Oh, so he's going to try to intoxicate you. That's classy."

Eyes widening, Angie burst out laughing and slapped her friend's hand playfully. "Sophia! I never thought I'd her that from you! And what do you know about dating?" She smiled like a Cheshire cat. "Has someone finally caught your eye?"

Sophia rolled her eyes. "You know I don't ponder romance." She could feel Angie's scrutinizing stare and shrugged. "What? I don't."

The lavender haired girl scoffed and slapped her hands on the table top. "Really? Not even once? Are you sure you're a woman?"

"I don't think women should be defined by whether or not they are interested in amorous love." She paused, then stated with a straight face, "Now if you're asking if I'm a woman in the aspect of whether I have breasts and a vagina, then yes; I am a woman."

No other time could have been more perfect for the expectant waitress to come along than this particular moment. The utterance of the phrase made her stand stock still, her pink glossy lips open in shock. An awkward silence nestled itself between the females, excluding Sophia, who was oblivious to the tension. After what seemed like ten minutes but only really two seconds, Dakota composed herself and strained a smile. "H-Here's your food." She set a grilled salmon panini and raspberry juice in front of Angie and a white cheese and spinach pizza for Sophia, who smiled at the sight of lunch. "Looks good. Thank you."

"Y-you're welcome." The waitress stammered. She quickly walked away, but not without giving them a quizzical glance over her shoulder.

The hunger that lined Sophia's stomach growled loudly at the delicious aroma, and Sophia was happy to oblige it. She rubbed her hands in anticipation, but then looked up at the girl across from her, who had a flustered blush. She cocked her head to the side. "What?"

Angie gave a small chuckle and shook her head. "No wonder people think you're weird. They always walk in at the wrong time."

"I don't understand why the human anatomy would make anyone uncomfortable. I mean-"

"Yeah, I get it, I get it." Angie waved off Sophia's tirade.

The pair continued to eat their lunch, just the simple pleasure of friendly company. And Sophia was grateful for that. Though she didn't have any other people she could call a friend, she knew she could not have asked for a better one.

-oOo-

"You blew up your kitchen again?"

They were on their way to the Wizard's shop. Though he no longer lived at the quaint beach side abode, he went there every day to predict his customers' love lives.

"…Yes. I don't know why it keeps going wrong. I've tried what feels like a hundred times." Sophia rubbed her chin, pondering what she could possibly be doing wrong. Though she was a witch in training, Sophia knew she was not very good at performing magic. It seemed like she failed more than she succeeded.

Angie just shrugged, staying silent. She didn't know much about magic, only what her friend told her.

As they walked down the cobbled street, a slender young man came up to them holding a bundled of fish netting. He had homely features; pale, slightly freckled, skin and light brown hair that touched his brow. He wore a calm smile that that matched his carefree and laid back lifestyle.

"Hey, Angie. I'm going fishing later, do you want to come?"

She gave him an apologetic smile though there was some pride in her voice when she said, "Sorry Matt, but me and David are going out tonight."

The faltering smile seemed out of place on Matt as he said, "Going out?" At the nod of her head, Matt regained his smile, but seemed slightly stressed. "Oh, well, okay. Some other time then, yeah?" He turned to leave. "Bye Angie, Sophia."

The Wizard's shop was a quaint building. Just four walled with a dark periwinkle roof and white prairie stone. Odd plants grew freely from the window boxes, most looking like they came straight from a foreign land. An oval sign hung quietly from the over drop of the roof. It read simply: "Fortunes and Predictions" in weathered wispy text.

Sophia opened the door, the air from inside creating a slight breeze that teased the recherché chimes. "Hi, Dad."

Within the dimly lit room, the Wizard himself sat at a dark writing desk, scrawling quickly on a small stack of parchment. Without looking up, he said, "Hello, Sophia and Angie."

She set down a sleeved cup of coffee she bought to-go on the desk and walked over to a huge case full of jars and packets of ingredients. The scent of dried herbs and spiced wafted in the air as she opened the glass face, searching the contents. "Do you have more fugue mushrooms?" when Sophia didn't get a response, she turned around to see her father still writing at his desk and turned to him. "Dad? Did you hear me?"

"Hmm?"

"I asked if you had any fugue mushrooms left."

The Wizard turned to her, and Sophia noticed he had faint circles under his eyes, his heterochromia eyes dull. "I'm sorry. I do not."

Mild concern etched her features when she asked, "…are you okay? You seem…off."

"No, I am…alright." He directed his view over to Angie, who was looking through a gold colored telescope, the looked back to Sophia with a serious expression. "Look, I-" He paused and appeared to be debating something in his mind.

"…What is it?"

The Wizard looked at his daughter before stating abruptly, "Nothing. Nevermind." and turned back to his desk.

She stared at him a little longer wondering whether she should prod, before deciding against it. He will tell her when he needs to. She called to Angie while grabbing an empty jar labeled _Fugue Mushroom. _"I'll go get some more for you, come on Angie."

"We're leaving already?"

Without answering, Sophia silently left the shop.


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: Sorry I took so long updating! I was super busy with filming, college visits, projects, blah blah blah. The next chapter might be a little late also, but not as long of a wait, because I have to film this week for school. But luckily for you, this chapter is a little longer than the other two (unless you like short chapters, then sorry) and hopefully you get a better understanding of Sophia.

Enjoy!

The rest of the day went by quite uneventfully for Sophia. Angie went back to her own house in Flute Fields to get ready for her date, which left Sophia time to jar the magic fugue mushrooms she acquired from the nearby forest (but not without the Witch Princess trying to steal it from her).

Since there was some time before dinner would be ready, Sophia decided to visit the beach in front of her family's farmhouse. The ocean was a beautiful deep blue with white frothy foam slipping forward and back on the sandy shore ever so slightly. The pale sand had multiple foot prints, all of them in pairs. But the silver haired girl did not notice: she was deep within her own thoughts, caught between the intricate web of the mind and reality. Most of the time, she would be able to break free from the hold, but other times she needed something of solidity outside of her to be awakened. Sophia did not have a clustered, disorganized mind, but one of many trails and paths, each leading to parts of her subconscious, yet never intersecting. If it was printed on a map, even she would become lost in the great detail.

Sophia was pondering a handful of things. In the back of her mind, she wondered why her father was behaving so strangely. It wasn't just today either. For the past few days, she noticed both he and her mother were tense and seemed to be distracted. At first, Sophia thought nothing of it, figuring the work and heat were getting to them. But ever since the Wizard was about to confess something to her, she began to wonder what that something was.

And, of course, there was the feeling of being hollow, empty. It had always been there ever since Sophia could remember. It was as if a part of her heart wasn't fully formed in the womb, but learned to function with the rest of her body. When Sophia would be alone with only the sound of nature around, her thoughts and that empty feeling would amplify. She could never figure out where it stemmed from, but she assumed it was because of the lack of friends. Lately, though, she began to wonder if it was something more; a bigger piece missing than she thought.

The sun had already begun to set by the time Sophia walked the length of the beach, so she set off to the house, leaving one sole trail of foot prints among the pairs.

-oOo-

Dinner was as per usual: The four family members sitting at the table with an array of steaming food, the prayer of thanks to the Harvest Goddess, chitter-chatter from Anna. But there was one thing that was off about the daily occurrence tonight. The normal warmth of the family gathering was fake, artificial. Just like the heat of a naked light bulb that burns with a harsh intensity instead of the cradling glow of the sun's rays. It made an odd feeling in the pit of Sophia's stomach. So when she was able to excuse herself, relief soothed her.

Apparently, though, the witch wasn't the only one who felt the misplaced tension. As she and Anna headed to their room, her younger sister stopped her. "Soph, wait."

She turned around to face the girl, who had a look of concern. Before she began to speak, Anna dragged Sophia to her room and closed the door with her foot. "Have you noticed how weird Mom and Dad have been acting?" Her voice was lowered as if their parents could hear them from across the house.

"Yes. They _have _been very strange lately."

"Do you know why? I've asked and they won't say anything."

The elder of the two shook her head. "No," She looked at her sideways with a scrutinizing glare. "What are you planning?"

Anna gazed up at her taller sister, her voice now a whisper. "I think we should spy on them. See what's going on." The glimmer of determination in her dark eyes was not overlooked by Sophia, who simply said, "No."

She made a sound of disbelief and gave her an annoyed look. "Why not?"

"Because we should wait and let them tell us. There's no point in spying."

"But what if they don't tell us? That's why we should see what's going on."

"But they will."

Anna gave her a defiant look, her eyes narrowed. "They haven't yet."

"They will." Sophia repeated.

The brunette rolled her eyes and threw her hands up in frustration. "Of course you know that. Of course!" She said, words stinging with sarcasm, "Sophia, you can't always wait around for things to happen. If they haven't told us yet, then we'll probably never find out."

This was odd. There were rarely any times when Anna would become this aggravated. It was not like her at all. Sophia had a confused look. "Why are you so upset about this?"

The fire seemed to dim to a small flame within Anna, who rubbed her arms in uncertainty. She casted her eyes to the right and her frame seemed to shrink. She sighed softly, "I don't know. I just-" She paused, sighing again, "I just feel like something is going to happen. I don't know if it's good or bad, but…" She shrugged, finally regaining eye contact. "The feeling is there. And I don't like it."

Sophia just stared at her. Sometimes, she forgot how intuitive her little sister could be. Seeing her like this, she felt some sympathy and a sense of clarity for her request. She put a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "I understand how you feel, but we should wait a couple more days for them to tell us. If they haven't by then, then we can find out for ourselves." Her lips reflected the small smile Anna had, who had calmed down. Sophia looked over at the girl's bed, noticing the small suit case on top of it. "Are you spending the night at your friend's house?"

"Oh, I was," Anna gave a doubtful look over at the luggage. "But I don't know if I feel like it anymore."

Frowning, Sophia walked over to her bed and picked up the suitcase. She didn't want her to linger on her worrisome feelings, so she figured that a distraction would be good for her. "You should go and have fun. It'll get your mind off of this."

"…Okay," Anna grabbed the luggage and, to Sophia's surprise, wrapped her thin arms around her in a hug. "I'm sorry."

A hug back was her answer. "There's nothing to be sorry about."

A silent moment passed before the two sisters parted. "Hey, what time is it anyway?" Anna looked at her watch and gasped, "Shoot! I'm supposed to be at Becky's in fifteen minutes!" She turned and grabbed a pale green pillow off her bed, quickly walking to the door. "I'll see you!" But before she left, Anna paused with a sincere smile. "And…thanks."

-oOo-

The day faded away, shedding its luminescent orange color for an esoteric vastness of cobalt and the stifling heat became less intense. Since she had little else to do, Sophia climbed onto the farmhouse roof to watch the magnificence that was the sky. It always amazed her, the sky: How it could change with such seamless transitions every day without fail. Sometimes Sophia would stare for hours, searching for that bond that connects day with night. She knew it was fruitless, but it was still a beautiful , if she waited a little longer, she could see the stars begin to appear, twinkling with their simple brilliance. Like her father, she, too, had an interest in astronomy.

Sophia stayed outside for a little while longer. Once she felt drowsiness starting to overcome her, she climbed off the roof and slid through a window she left open. Her tan feet padded softly against the wooden floor of her room as she tried to be as quiet as she could. Sophia was used to being the last one awake, even her father started going to bed earlier. A silent house was something she had adapted to. So when Sophia heard strained voices coming from the kitchen, she stopped. 'That's strange. Who's up?' She tiptoed toward the kitchen, where the voices grew louder and distinct. Hiding behind the doorway, Sophia listened quietly as her mother's voice carried into the hall.

"I- I just can't believe this is happening." Her mother sighed heavily. She sounded as though she was carrying a terrible burden. And that scared Sophia.

"After all I did for Castanet…" She sighed again, "This is something I can't do."

"Sweetheart," Sophia's father spoke up: his voice was even, but held the same strain. "I know this is a difficult decision…but this is how it is meant to be…"

Sophia's heart pounded with anxiety. How what's meant to be? What are they talking about? These questions and a million more were blazing though her mind as she listened.

"But it's not fair!" Her mother said with a raised voice. "Neither of them would be able to do it on their own!" Sophia could tell she was on the verge of crying.

"Yes they would. We raised them well. Plus, they have your spirit…"

"But they're just _children_, Gale!"

Sophia's viridian eyes widened with shock. 'They're talking about… Anna and me...' Done with eavesdropping, she stepped in the doorway. As the light coming from the kitchen revealed her, her parents looked up, startled by their daughter's presence.

"Sophia!" Her mother exclaimed, "What are you doing up?" She quickly wiped the trail of tears from her cheeks, attempting to hide evidence of a previous break down. Her eyes were red and puffy.

Though it struck a chord in her, Sophia forced herself to ignore her mother's appearance. She walked over to the table. "What's going on?" She asked.

"How long have you been standing there?"

"What's going on?" She repeated sternly.

"Nothing-" She was cut off by the Wizard's hand sliding over hers, squeezing it tenderly. His voice was soft as he rubbed the pad of his thumb on her hand. "We should tell her, Molly…she must know…"

Molly looked at him with sad eyes and breathed a heavy sigh, "…Alright." She turned to face her daughter, who had confusion and concern riddled on her face. Sophia could feel her heartbeat quicken even more, to the point of it hurting. She sat down in the empty chair next to her mother, gripping her hands until her knuckles turned pale.

"Do you remember when I told you and your brother and sister about how I saved Castanet?" Molly asked, "And how I had the help from the Harvest King?"

Sophia blinked at her, even more confused than she was before. The story of her mother's quest to restore Castanet Island was always told to her and her siblings when they were children. She had used to believe it was just a made up tale to say at bedtime: Magic bells, sprites, Gods and Goddesses? It all seemed outlandish to her. But then Sophia began to see them.

The sprites.

That's when she believed every word of the story and so did Anna and her older brother Roland, though she was the only one that could see the little fairies. So, needless to say, the tale stuck in Sophia's mind. "Of course, but what does that have to do with anything?"

Molly hesitated, seeming to be unsure of how to explain. She looked straight into Sophia's eyes, which gave her the will to continue. "Well… I guess there's another island that needs help." There was a pause as she waited for a reaction. When there was none, she spoke again, "But it can't be me. Only someone with a pure heart can go."

"A child." The Wizard's deep voice added, his lips formed into a frown.

Time seemed to stop. A tense silence enveloped the kitchen and the only thing that could be heard was the ceiling fan spinning in hypnotic circles. 'This can't be happening.'

"So… you're sending one of us away?" She murmured incredulously, feeling hurt.

"No!" Her mother said quickly, taking Sophia's tan hands in her pale ones. "This is a choice; for both you and Anna."

"What about Roland?"

"Roland is considered a grown man, so he no longer has a pure heart. It also wouldn't be fair to ask because Dakota has a baby on the way." Molly brushed away a strand of graying hair away from her face.

Sophia looked up sharply and narrowed her eyes." Not fair to ask him? What about us?" She freed her hands from her mother's.

"Sophia," The Wizard took hold of her arm to ease her building fury and to prevent her from leaving. He spoke to her in a gentle voice, "We are not forcing either of you to do this. It is purely a decision between you and your sister…"

Sophia looked down at her lap, her eyebrows furrowed in thought. She called to mind her life in Castanet. She never fit in with the other children even though she tried so hard to make friends. She had even heard some parents tell them to keep their distance from her. It was something she had accepted.

Anna on the other hand, was a different story. The fourteen year old was energetic and a socialite. Her friends were her life and she was constantly smiling. She had a good future in Castanet.

No. Sophia shouldn't even have to think about this. She couldn't take away the wonderful life Anna has made on the island. That was out of the question. She knew what she had to do.

"I'll do it."


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: Urgh, finally! This chapter was a real doozy for some reason. It was originally going to be the length of two and a half chapters, but uhh…well…**

**I've actually never played Sunshine Islands. THERE! I SAID IT! **

**I planned to do research on it and stuff, but our internet was cut off (if you're wondering, I'm using my computer at school, and I actually finished my work early, so I found some time to update) . So, unfortunately, I have no idea how long it will be until I can update again because I can't do my research. This story will be on a (hopefully) very minor hiatus.**

**During this time, I will work on other fanfics that have been brewing in my head for a long time.**

**Again, I am very sorry.**

One month.

One month had passed since Sophia received the news that would change her life. And today was the day she would go forward and leave Castanet for a new land.

The front door to the farmhouse pushed open as Sophia and her family members walked out, planning to say goodbye to her when she would leave.

"Well, it's a beautiful day for you to take off, Soph." Her brother Roland said, cupping a hand over his brow to look up at the sky. Indeed, it _was _a beautiful day. The sky was a bright blue with stunningly white clouds drifting lazily by. The ambiance of the farm seemed even more saturated with a glorious pallet of colors today. The thick mane of grass that covered the ground looked greener and softer, dotted with tiny white wild flowers. All Sophia wanted to do was to stretch her body upon that grass and smell its fresh dewy scent. But she knew she didn't have time to reflect on nostalgic memories of her childhood home.

"Are you excited?" Anna stood up, who had been thoroughly petting the collie puppy Sophia was taking with her (she decided to name him Hero).

"Actually, I am." It was true. The more she thought about it, the more anxious she became. Though of course she had that underlying nervousness and fear, those feelings were overpowered by the realization that the journey was something special: not a chance to start over, but a chance to begin. To begin the life she always wanted. To be truly accepted.

"I'm glad you are, Soph. This is a good chance to start off on your own." Molly said with assurance, more for herself than her daughter.

They began to walk to Garmon Mines, where Sophia was to meet the Harvest King, the fiery deity that dwelled at the peak of the island's snowcapped mountain. When she was told by her mother that the Harvest King would teleport her to the impoverished island, she had throngs of fear ripple through her. It wasn't so much the idea of being physically warped, weaving through time itself, that bothered her. She had complete confidence in the Harvest King's cosmic powers. No, it was the fact that she would soon be face-to-face with an immortal figure that had the strength to command the sky and sea as he pleased. THAT was intimidating. She hoped the meeting with him would just be a brief explanation on how she was supposed to save the island, then her departure.

Once they reached the entrance to Garmon Mines, Sophia turned to her family, plus Angie, who decided to tag along during their travel, and said with a hint of excitement, "Well, this is it." She gave a nervous smile before Roland stepped toward her, giving his sister a strong hug with arms muscled from laborious farm work. "Good luck out there, Soph. And hey," he pulled away from her, a handsome grin on his face. "Don't grow up too fast. You're still my little sister."

She smiled, "I'll keep that in mind. And _you_ don't forget to mail me photos when my niece or nephew is born."

"Of course."

After being practically bombarded by Anna and Angie with tight embraces and tearful goodbyes, Sophia approached her parents. Her heart tugged painfully in the cavity of her chest. This would be harder than she thought. Molly, teary eyed, pulled her into an embrace that emanated warmth that only a mother could give. Knowing that she was going to miss this sense of security, Sophia nuzzled her face into the curve of her neck and gripped the back of her shirt. "I love you."

The brunette choked back more tears, "I love you too!"

They held each other for a moment longer before Sophia forced herself to part from her mother and faced the Wizard. As she looked into his eyes that were so similar to hers, she had fleeting thought, thinking if she would ever have the same connection and understanding with anyone on the island as she did with her father. Probably not. It was something only he and she could have and no one else. Sophia hugged him and he received it, that last time he could be her paternal anchor for a long while. "Be careful, Sophia," He embraced his daughter tighter, and she felt a warm wetness upon her cheek that was not her own. "Be careful…"

She turned to the foreign script that was carved into the side of the mountain that would teleport her to the top. From behind, her mother said, sniffling slightly, "If you ever need to talk to us, we're just a phone call away."

Sophia gave the affirmative that she understood and picked up Hero. Her heart began to pound as she reached for the carving with tentative fingers. But before the tips could touch the cold rock, pink streams of lights weaved around her figure, obscuring her view. She instinctively squeezed her eyes shut as she felt the odd sensation of being as light as air, losing her physical form in favor of drifting up into the sky, higher and higher. All of these sensations lasted only a mere second before she found she had solid ground under her feet once again.

It was cold. The rush of icy air was enough for the witch to slowly open her eyes. The first thing she saw was the stone with the ancient lettering. But, as the wind whistled by her ears, Sophia knew that she wasn't at the foot of Garmon Mines. Hesitant, the silver-haired girl slowly turned to take in her surroundings. Everything was covered in a thin sheet of frost, including the hard ground. Carefully scooting toward the edge, she saw that she was above the clouds.

She also felt the mountaintop's solitude. Never had she been in a place so still, so desolate. The only sign that there could be anyone up there was the stone staircase leading to a higher platform. Sophia clutched her dog even tighter to her as she took her first step on the stairs, which were so steep that she couldn't even see what was on the next level.

Once she reached the top of the steps, a small orb of shimmering light sped toward her. She smiled as it morphed into a petite sprite clad in yellow. The cute creature gave her a hug, attempting to wrap his short arms around her neck. "Sophia! You're here!"

Laughing at his child-like nature, Sophia placed Hero on the ground and put a hand over him. "Did you think I would not show up, Finn?"

"No, I did, but I'm just-I-I'm-aaah! So excited!" Finn squealed and began to fly around her in joy.

"Well, if you're so excited, let's get this show on the road, shall we?"

The ball of energy stopped, his fat cheeks rosy from the laps. "Yeah, you're right. I'll summon the Harvest King."

"There is no need for that."

Both green eyes and dark widened in surprise. Right in front of them stood a man that emanated power and integrity. Flaming red hair trailed behind him in a regal manner, golden skin covering rippling muscles. "So, you are Sophia." His unnatural redeyes were sharp as he analyzed her.

"Yes, I am." She said in a quiet tone. She stepped closer to him and could feel warmth radiating off his body.

"Do you know the history of where you are going?"

"No."

"Then I will inform you. The archipelago you will be going to is called Sunny Island. Long ago, a powerful earthquake caused the ocean to swallow the other ten islands. It will be your duty to retrieve these," The Harvest King help out his open palm, where five images of glassy spheres appeared, each glowing softly in a different color. "They are sun stones. You must collect one hundred to resurrect the lands. Do you understand thus far?"

Sophia nodded slowly, not taking her eyes off of him. "Yes, I understand."

The deity turned his head to face Finn. "And you, sprite? It is just as crucial for you to understand. She will need your guidance."

Finn's eyes widened at the acknowledgment and gave a nod with a serious look. "Yes!"

"Good. Now, this is crucial, so pay close attention." Once again, he opened his hand, but this time, there was a tiny seed in the center. "Once all of the islands are restored, go to the Harvest Goddess spring and plant this seed. A tree will grow that will guard the archipelago from any incident that would plunge the islands back into the sea."

Sophia lifted her hand to take the seed, but paused. _So much power in such a tiny seed. _

Noticing her hesitance, the Harvest King narrowed his eyes, a frown replacing his stoic expression, "Why do you hesitate? I cannot allow you to take it if you lack the strength and conviction to follow through with the mission."

The witch in question opened her mouth in surprise, the snapped it shut. "N-no. I can handle it. I'm sorry." She plucked the dark seed carefully between her thumb and forefinger and glanced at it before placing it in a pocket in her beaded purse.

The god's countenance softened by a fraction. A short breeze ruffled his silky white toga. "Before I take you to Sunny Island, know this," he stared straight into her eyes, reminding Sophia how much larger he was compared to her. "You must not stray from your task. Many lives are relying on _you _to change Sunny Island's fate. If you do," his eyes darkened. Sophia's ears felt blocked. All she could hear was his deep voice reverberating through her skull. "It will fall to the bottom of the sea once again. Along with its people."

Finn gasped as Sophia swallowed heavily, a sickening knot forming in her stomach. This was too much. Her face turned pale with worry. What if she didn't save them in time?

"I sense doubt in you. I did not tell you this to strike fear, but to warn you. It will be a difficult task, so do not take it lightly."

Sophia let out a long shaky sigh and said, "I don't intend to."

"Yeah, me neither!" Finn clutched his hand into a small fist, dark eyes sparkling.

"That is good to hear. I have said all that was needed to be said. Are you both ready for your departure?"

The sprite and the witch looked at each other, then nodded in confirmation. This was is. The last time for a while that she would walk on Castanet soil. She wondered what Sunny Island would be like. Would it be similar to her other home, or completely foreign? Well, she was about to find out.

The Harvest King raised his hand to them, but before he used teleportation, he said, "Sophia, I wish you luck. As to you Finn." After that, Sophia was once again surrounded by light.


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: Well, well, well! Would you look at that! I have a chapter up! Huzzah! But, I still have no internet, so I'm sitting at McDonalds stealing their WiFi. This story has taken over my brain, people. Literally! It's also becoming longer than I thought.**

**And, I don't usually ask for comments, but now I am. Comments are nice. I know a lot of people don't like it when you don't use canon pairing (especially with Vaughn. You don't mess with the Vaughn), but I appreciate everyone who's actually reading this and leaving comments. **

**Hope you enjoy!**

Warm light shone, turning the inside of Sophia's eyelids from black to a dull red. The salty smell of the ocean was carried by the wind brushing under her nose. But what made her eyes open slowly was the sound of people. Off in the distance, she could hear multiple voices, though they were too far away to understand.

Trees. The greenery blocked the view of whatever was beyond them. They rustled teasingly in the breeze, as if beckoning Sophia forward. The little sprite beside her piped up in bewilderment, "What the-? Is that a forest?"

Hero, who Sophia had set down before the teleportation, yipped excitedly and started sprinting toward the barrier of trees. The movement caught her attention and she ran after him. Slight irritation befell her as her book bag slapped heavily against her back. She sighed, "I should have invested in a leash." Though the dog was fast, Sophia easily kept up with him, Finn trailing behind with a cry of complaint.

Amazingly, Hero followed a beaten trail that was packed down with footprints. Worn with life. It cut through the natural flow of the tree border, another sign it was man made. With a deep breath, Sophia barreled forward, her pace quickening as she closed the distance between them. _Closer…_ Once the feisty dog was arms length away, she stretched her hands out.

But, before she knew it, a strong impact sent her stumbling haphazardly to the side. She rubbed her arm, ebbing the pain that was shooting through her appendage, and knelt down to hold onto Hero, who had run back to her side.

"Watch where you're going!" A masculine voice snarled above her.

"I'm sorry-" She began, but stopped once she saw a pair of tanned cowboy boots pass her quickly, then turn down the path she came.

Sophia just sat there on the ground, her mind somewhat befuddled. Finn, who had caught up to them, scoffed angrily, "What a jerk! Jeeze!" Shaking her head, the witch replied, "It's alright." She turned to Hero, the dog wagging his tail wildly and stared at her with animated eyes. "I'm taking away your chewing rights." She gave him a disappointing glare.

Sophia looked up, finally comprehending the fleeting glances onlookers directed toward her. Clearing her throat awkwardly, the girl stood up, brushing dirt off her jeans. The sound of footsteps, uneven and dragging, made her turn. An elderly man came rushing to her side, the slight limp only a small hindrance in his pace.

"Are you alright, miss?"

"Yes, I'm fine thank you." Faint color rose to her cheeks. Though she usually didn't embarrass easily, running into someone blindly wasn't on her list of pleasant experiences. The wrinkles on the elderly man's weathered face deepened in puzzlement, hand on his chin. "Are you new? Don't seem familiar to me."

"Yes. I plan on moving here. I'm Sophia." The man smiled; a mouth full of crooked teeth. "A newcomer? We don't get many of them here in Sunshine Islands. My name is Taro," He grasped her hand and shook it with surprising strength. "I manage the product shipping. Why don't you come over and I'll make some tea." Without much choice, Sophia followed Taro to the closest building with an eastern architectural design. The inside was an open layout with the kitchen and the dining room together.

Taro walked to the tea pot sitting on the stove and filled it with water. "Let's see, let's see…" he grabbed two glass jars full of tea leaves, squinting at the labels. "We have green tea or… oh, blast my poor eyesight…" he cursed, bringing the other jar further away, "…or earl grey."

"Green tea, please. "Sophia smiled as she sat at the table.

Taro nodded as he took out two cups and placed the fresh green herb into the strainers. "So, what made you want to move all the way here, Sophia?" He proceeded to simmer the water.

Sophia casted her eyes to the green checkered tablecloth, tracing the woven fabric with her finger. She didn't think it wise to tell anyone about her reason for coming to Sunshine Islands, so she settled with the half-truth. "Well, I thought it was time to start my own life since I'm older now, so I decided to move here."

Back straightened, Taro stopped his preparations and looked over his shoulder. "You don't seem old enough to be moving away from your family. You can't be older than seventeen!"

Sophia twirled a lock of silver hair and laughed, "Actually, I just turned nineteen."

"Oh, that's not as bad. Come to think of it, I wasn't much older than you when I started my farm." With a grunt and a pop of his knees, Taro sat at the table, propping his walking staff against it. "Just need to let it steep." He gestured to the cups at the counter.

"You used to be a farmer? My family owns a farm."

The older man smiled, reflecting his younger years. "Ah, yes…That was always my true calling. But, with my busted knee," He tapped his right leg. "couldn't continue farming." He sat there, quietly, as a flash of sadness was in his beady eyes. He then looked at Sophia and cleared his throat. "So, what are you gonna do, Sophia?"

She told him of her plans to purchase a home with a field so she could open an herb shop. "I would also like to sell good luck charms, necklaces, and so on." She hesitated and looked up at him.

"Don't have an herb shop yet. It'll come in handy, especially for Pierre." Taro took a sip of his tea, which he brought to them during Sophia's explanation. Sophia cocked her head, "Pierre?" The name sounded foreign and slid off her tongue clumsily.

"He's a chef that lives here. Always trying to find ingredients." Taro's eyes lit up, an idea gracing his mind. "Say, if you're looking for a place to grow crops, there's a homestead not far from here with a big field. I could show you."

Hands up in protest, Sophia attempted to decline, saying she didn't want to trouble him.

"Don't worry about that! Plus, I'm the one selling the place!"

"Well…if you insist."

As they started to leave, Sophia stopped and asked, "Oh, do you have anything I could use as a leash? I've recently found out that I didn't train my dog as well as I thought."

"Sure." The old man grabbed a red leash that was frayed with age and handed it to Sophia, who clasped it onto Hero's collar. She nodded, "Okay, let's go."

Because of the leisurely pace they took, Sophia was able to take in her surroundings. This section of Sunshine Islands, which Taro informed her was called Verdure, seemed to be the main source for shopping. Stores were scattered across the beach front, most of them larger than the ones at Castanet. She reminded herself to take note of that when deciding her shop location. More stores meant more people. And more people meant more customers. The beach was also very large, to Sophia's delight .More strolls across the tranquil shore. Another plus toward her shop placement.

Taro lead her down the trail she had first come from, but now Sophia could see where he was taking her. The ranch, which was astonishingly on its own small island, had a field that stretched across the general perimeter of the property. Adjacent to them was- "This is the farmhouse." Taro indicated a decent sized building with a vermilion roof standing brilliantly against the blue sky. The door was the same color, though the paint was curling off its surface. The paned windows had a layer of grime and weeds littered the grass. "I know it's not the prettiest place-"

"No, it's not."

Taro looked at her and blew out a wily laugh, "Ah, yes…well, with some fixing up, it'll make a great home." He then asked, "What do you think?"

With a few gradual steps forward, mouth open in an odd display of wonderment, she said, "It's…" a pause, searching for the right word, "…perfect!"

Finn, who had been silent, looked at the house, then at her, his nose crinkled in disbelief. "Really? I wouldn't call it _perfect._"

She turned to Taro, eyes sparkling, "Could we look inside?"

Her gave another short laugh and held up a ring of keys. "I thought you'd ask that." They walked over to the house and he began flipping through each key. A string of unintelligible mumbles escaped his mouth after sifting through the tenth wrong key. "Ah, here we go." Upon finding the right one, Taro unlocked the door and opened it with a creak of its rusted hinges. Sophia could sense that the house had been empty for a long time. Sunlight shone through, revealing dust particles intertwined with its rays. The place was barren, save for a small kitchenette, a table with chairs, and a large cabinet.

"All the plumbing and heating works fine. Electric should, too…" Taro flicked the switch next to the door. Light flooded the room.

"How much is it?"

"The land and everything on it cost ninety thousand Gs."

"Ninety thousand?" Sophia's heart dropped.

Seeing the alarm on her face, Taro reassured her, "Oh, I don't expect full payment upfront. You can just give me a monthly income."

The witch sighed with relief, "That I can do…hopefully."

Taro smiled and stuck out his veiny hand. "Good. So, do we have a deal?"

Grasping his hand and giving it a firm shake, Sophia said, "We have a deal."

**A/N: Meh, I kind of think this chapter is boring, but I wanted to include Sophia making a deal on the house, and not just being like, "Oh, I have no idea what this house looks like and if all the utilities actually work, but I'll take it anyway!" **

**The next chapter should be out soon, too. I have a sufficient amount of info. At least, I think I do.**

**Aaand… yeah. That's it.**


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: I feel sooo bad, guys! I didn't mean to wait a MONTH to submit another chapter D: Life has been more than a little hectic.**

**On a better note, I have high-speed internet (yay!), a week of school left, and this chapter is longer than most of the others (I think you'll like it, too *hint, hint*).**

**Updated A/N: I've posted my drawing for this chapter. Check it out by my DeviantArt link in my profile!**

**Enjoy!**

"My own house…" Sophia's eyes gazed around the room. It was still hard to believe she was on her own now. An overwhelming feeling washed over her as she sighed. To distract herself, the young witch began to unpack.

Finn grasped the zipper to her book bag and yanked down, using his feet as support on the material. He fell unceremoniously with a grunt on the table once the bag was fully opened. To his surprise, Sophia started to pull out various household objects, like blankets, pillows, and a slender floor lamp with a powder blue shade.

The sprite's eyes bulged in shock, "How'd you get all that stuff in there?"

Sophia just smiled and continued unpacking, "Magic. You of all people should know that."

"Yeah, I guess so," With a push off, Finn hovered over the enchanted book bag peering inside, the little bell on his hat jingling as it flopped over his face, "Did you pack your bed, too?" He asked incredulously. As she placed a heavy skillet on the kitchen countertop, she laughed and remarked, "Don't be ridiculous. A bed wouldn't fit!" The girl proceeded to take out an armful of clothes and set them on the table. "I need to purchase one today, so after I'm done with this, I'm going to head into town."

"You don't need a bed!" Sophia watched curiously as Finn flew to the floor, stretching himself on his back and splaying his arms in the fashion of making a snow angel. "You can sleep on the floor." He laughed at his own joke.

"Oh, yes. I just _love _to curl up on the hardwood floor. It's so comfortable." Sophia followed his actions and stared at the ceiling, its blank textured canvas adorned with an old dusty fan. She sighed through her nose in content, closing her eyes. She hadn't realized how tired she was. Even though the day wasn't even halfway over, the recent events seemed to drain away most of her energy. "All I want to do is sleep." She groaned, but picked herself off the floor and started to put her belongings in their rightful place.

After a few seconds, Finn flew back to the table, "I'll help!" He attempted to pick up the objects, some proving too heavy. Following a few strenuous grunts from the fairy, Sophia decided to give him a hand, holding out a small framed photo of her family, "Here. This should be light enough. You can hang it on the wall over there." She pointed to the blank surface next to the window. Finn took it carefully and made a move to fly to the wall. But when he stopped to look at it, a downtrodden expression befell him.

Noticing the silence, Sophia stood behind the magical being, leaning over him to gaze at the photograph. The fairy sighed and slid his hand over the paned glass where her mother stood, smiling happily. The photo was taken years ago when Sophia was a small, gangly child and her parents were still full of youth. Once the quietness was becoming too heavy, Finn whispered in a small voice, "She was the first person to ever see me. She didn't just think I was a clumsy sprite that was good for nothing."

"Finn…"

"She-and the Harvest Goddess- gave me a purpose. But… Molly was the only one that made me feel like I wasn't alone anymore." He sighed as his wings drooped.

Mildly taken aback by this sudden confession, Sophia went to her knees and folded her arms on the table top, speaking quietly, "Finn, what's bothering you?" She watched patiently as her companion's shoulders quivered, resting his head on the picture. It took a few moments before he whispered, "I'm afraid…"

"Afraid of what?" Sophia asked in confusion.

He turned to her, eyes downcast as if he felt ashamed, "I'm afraid I'll disappoint her."

Sympathy flowed through her for her friend as she gave him a sad smile, "Oh, Finn. If I know anything about my mother, I know she could never be disappointed with you."

He looked up at her with hopeful eyes," Really?"

"Of course," Sophia playfully rubbed his head with her finger. "Plus, who could ever be anything but proud of you? You're too fantastic." The comment elicited a giggle from the sprite. _I'm the one she needs to worry about…_

"Thanks, Sophia." He looked back at the photo, a minute smile on his lips, "You always know what to say."

"I know." She replied in faux smugness.

The duo continued setting everything in its place with a little help of Sophia's levitation magic, which sped the process along. Once finished with the chore, the witch's eagerness to see the town bubbled inside her with a newborn energy as she wasted no time going back to Verdure.

Earlier that day, when Sophia and Taro traveled back to his store to sign the land contracts, the old man informed her that the first place she should visit is the general store, where she could purchase anything she didn't bring with her. So that was where she was heading.

Time began to smuggle in evening, the sky turning a warm orange and soft shadows blanketing the village. Long legs striding in a quickened pace, Sophia began to worry that it could be nearing closing time for the shop. Thankfully, her assumption was incorrect and she bought a bed, along with a cheap refrigerator and some groceries to fill it, with ease, especially since that store owner, a kind man named Chen, offered to assist her and carried them home on a wagon.

With one final stroke of her hand to smooth out her bed sheets, Sophia was officially settled in her new home. Well, at least for the night. She still needed to pull the weeds and plant the crops and-hopefully, eventually-clean the floor and the windows. Yes, she still had a lot to do. But, right now, she thought it best to relax. After a simple dinner of BLT's with lemonade and performing the bedtime routines, Sophia and Finn sank into bed with a unified sigh of exhaustion.

The sprite stretched tremendously on a lone throw pillow next to her head, "Are you as tired as I am?"

"Mm-hmm." Sophia hummed as she leaned over to turn off the tall lamp. Darkness filled the room, save for the faint light filtered by her curtains.

She lay there, listening to the continuous tick of her alarm clock. Though she was quite excited and nervous for her first day of work tomorrow, her eyes fluttered shut, and she fell into a most welcome slumber.

-oOo-

_BZZT! BZZT! BZZT!_

The digital clock buzzed at exactly six in the morning, but the receiver was already up and about, pulling a brush through her silver hair. The sun had just climbed over the horizon and was shining brightly. No clouds were present, but there was a strong breeze that kept the air cool. It was a perfect day to work outside.

Seeing that the alarm didn't deter him from his sleep, Sophia said, "Finn, wake up." He stirred in his sleep, mumbling incoherently, as he snuggled deeper into the cushion.

With a hand on her hip, the witch repeated firmly, "Finn."

"I know, I know…" Finn grumbled, rubbing the tiredness out of his eyes with the heels of his hands. Though wishing he was still immersed in sleep on the plush cushion, he floated to the clock lazily, hitting the snooze button, and then traveled to Sophia, who was counting the money in her beaded satchel.

"This should be enough," She closed the bag, the bronze buckle producing a metallic 'cling'.

"Enough for what?" Finn asked, sitting on the table top with a mouthful of toast slathered in apple butter the girl left out for him.

"Seeds!" She said in a matter-of-fact.

If she learned anything from living in a family with a successful farmer, she knew that to produce plentiful crops, it was best to plant the seeds early (an obvious fact, really). She was already over a month into summer, so she needed to buy them as soon as she could.

"More shopping? BORING!" Finn took another bite of his toast, miniscule crumbs tumbling from his mouth in a rather unsavory manner as he spoke, "Let's go explore or look for some Sun Stones."

"If you want to, you can go explore without me. I just really need to get this done."

"You wouldn't mind?" Seeing her shake her head, Finn exclaimed, "Okay, thanks, Soph!"

She smiled, "It's not a problem. But I need to go. I'll see you when I get home, alright?"

"Yep. See ya!"

And with that, Sophia stepped outside, the breeze making her hair dance lightly. It wasn't a long trek to Verdure Island. Well, at least not as long as the one from her family's home to Castanet. It made her wonder for the first time why no one had moved to the farmland earlier. It was a pretty decent place and was in close proximity to the town. _Oh, well. It's best not to look a gift horse in the mouth. _"Hmm…" She placed a hand to the side of her tan face, thinking. _That's an odd saying… what's a gift horse, anyway? Just another way of describing a horse that was received as a present?...And why would anyone have the desire to look into its mouth? Unless you're a veterinarian, then I suppose it makes sense… But, still-_

"Sophia! Yoo-hoo!"

The sound of her name retrieved her from one of her many day dreams. She peered over to her right. "Oh, hello, Taro." She noticed that two other people were accompanying him. They were much younger, perhaps even around her age. The pair shared the same hair color, which was a fascinating shade of rose. _They must be related._

"Sophia, thought I'd help you get started with meeting the townsfolk," He gestured a veiny hand to the strangers, "These are my grandkids: Elliot and Natalie."

"Hey, it's nice to meet you." The girl named Natalie raised a hand in greeting while Elliot said a quiet hello.

"They and their mother live with me and help with the shipping." Taro told her.

The group chatted for a few minutes and Sophia saw that the two siblings were complete opposites. Natalie seemed to be headstrong and opinionated, while Elliot was more reserved and appeared to be the butt of his sister's teasing. The two reminded her of the relationship Angie's mother and aunt shared.

"Thank you, Taro, for introducing them to me. I wish I could talk more, but I need to run some errands." They said they understood as Sophia excused herself politely.

-oOo-

Are you sure you don't need any help?"

Sophia stepped out of the general store with massive bags of seed piled high in her arms, which blocked her face and obscured most of her vision.

"N-no. I can handle it," Her tentative steps faltered slightly as she didn't expect the small drop off from the porch to the ground. Her stumbling caused Chen to reach for her quickly, but stopped once she was steady. He looked up and relief crossed his face, "Ah, he doesn't look busy," The store owner cupped his hands around his mouth, producing a booming voice that made Sophia jump, "VAUGHN!"

The witch heard someone stop, then start walking toward them. The only thing she could see was the top of a dark taupe colored cowboy hat. It turned to where Chen was standing, "What?" The voice had a familiar edge to it, but Sophia couldn't put a finger on where she had heard it-

_Oh…_

"Could you help this young lady carry the seeds and fertilizer?" Chen asked.

The man named Vaughn looked at her. Or at least she thought so. Her arms began to quiver from the weight.

"…Sure."

Sophia sighed happily as she felt the gravitational pull lessen. Now that her eyesight was no longer blocked, she saw his face. And he hers.

Vaughn's eyes (which, Sophia had to admit, were a charming shade of amethyst) widened in mild shock, but just as quickly turned into a small scowl, "You."

"Me."

The scowl deepened at her subtle jest, "You're the one that ran into me."

"Yes, I am. Now that we have that out of the way, let's go. My arms are hurting." Without waiting, Sophia started to walk home. The cowboy directed his angry face to Chen, as if saying, 'this is your fault', but just received a confused shrug. He then followed the girl with much chagrin.

The walk was quiet, besides the sound of their footsteps and Sophia shifting the sacks in her arms. It was clear that the man wasn't going to start talking any time soon._ He doesn't say a lot, be he doesn't seem like he would be a shy person, either._ Sophia piped up, hoping to strike some sort of conversation. "I'm Sophia. I just moved here yesterday." She glanced up at him discreetly from the corner of her eye, seeing if he would profuse an introduction as well.

"Don't expect this as some sort of invitation for friendship."

Well, at least he was talking.

"That's going a little ahead, isn't it?" the girl laughed, "We're just carrying seed bags. I'd hardly call that as a sign of affection."

"Hmph." She heard a grunt of annoyance, but when she glanced at him again, a silver brow was raised as he glanced back at her in curiosity.

Ah, there was the silence again; so commonly pungent.

"So… Vaughn-am I correct?- what do you do on the Sunshine Islands?"

He expelled air through his nose in irritation, but answered nonetheless, "I'm an animal trader, so I don't spend much of my time on this godforsaken island." With a terse tone, he said, "We're here."

Sophia instructed him to set the merchandise next to the field, where he dropped them unceremoniously.

"Well, Vaughn, thank you for the help." She pushed a lock of hair behind her ear, the many silver studs glinting and causing Vaughn's eyes to dart involuntarily to the slight distraction. They soon snapped back to her face. He cleared his throat out of embarrassment, "You're welcome, I guess."

"I hope to see you around."

The cowboy scoffed and said, "Don't count on it," thusly turning on his heels and trudging back to Verdure.

Sophia watched him go with disgruntlement, mindlessly playing with an earring. One thought was going through both of their minds.

_They're weird._

**A/N: Yay, they actually meet!**

**I didn't want to give Vaughn any special treatment as the way of introductions. I wanted it to be as normal as Sophia meeting any other person. **

**What do you think of their meeting? Like it? Hate it? **

**As for Finn, I felt that he could be a more rounded person than what most people would portray him, though you can still think of him as more of a static character. I just wanted to show that he has more feelings than just happiness. Plus, he's lived for a long time so he has probably been through some hardships like anyone else. Maybe it did it too early in the story, but I thought it was the perfect opportunity.**


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N: ****Thought I'd post a chapter before going on vacation.**

**Thanks for reading!**

The next couple of weeks seemed to trickle by slowly. The work proved to be more intense than Sophia thought. Though she was exhausted because she wasn't quite used to the physical labor, the girl was satisfied with her budding crops.

Along with work, somehow, she managed to make acquaintance with most of the townsfolk. They seemed to warm up to her quickly, much to Sophia's delight. Even so, there was an incessant nagging that populated the back of her mind that it might just be a formal façade they used with every newcomer. This worrying was underlined with the fact that she had yet to tell anybody about her magic. She feared they would be quick to judge, or worse, be afraid of her. So, the young witch decided to keep it a secret. At least, for as long as she could.

By noon, Sophia had already finished her chores. Finally having some free time, she decided to eat lunch at the diner at Verdure._ I suppose I need to freshen up_. The day had been notably sultry, the sweat layering her body as proof. She headed to the bathroom, the wet wash cloth acting as a balm to her hot face. She cringed slightly in annoyance as she noticed the wetness on her underarms, promptly peeling off the tee shirt and replacing it with a fresh violet blouse that held the pleasant scent of linen. Sophia would always find herself changing shirts since she seemed to sweat bullets.

As she was walking out the door, satchel in hand, the witch stopped and quickly slipped on her silver bangle. It was plain in design and really held no sentimentality, but she liked the way it looked on her wrist and wore it often.

Once she reached Verdure, a shock of heliotrope caught her eye.

"Hey, Sophia!"

"Hi, Denny." She gave a small wave to the self-employed fisherman, who was making his way to her. They had met a week ago and seemed hit it off very well. Sophia couldn't help but wonder if this was because the young man reminded her of Angie, who she missed dearly.

"Hoo! It's hot out here, isn't it?" He wiped the dark curls plastered on his forehead away as he began to walk with her, "What are you up to today?"

"Nothing exciting. I'm just going to the diner."

"Hey, me too! Wanna go with me?"

Sophia shrugged, not seeing a reason to decline. They were already heading in the same direction. Plus, she smiled inwardly, it was nice to have an invitation to go somewhere with someone she considered a potential friend. "Sure."

The diner was packed, every table filled, not that there were many.

"Hmm…" Denny scanned the room looking for a place to sit, "Looks like there's no empty seats."

"Yes, there are. At the booth." She regarded a couple of seats at the counter, one occupied by Vaughn. How could he miss them? They were in plain sight.

"Oh, my bad." He apologized with a strained chuckle.

As she settled on the worn plastic bar stool, she caught the bickering being tossed back and forth between Vaughn and Nick, the restaurant owner.

"What? But, if it cools any more, it'll lose its flavor!"

"I'm not going to eat something I don't like." Vaughn growled. His fingers were curled into his tense hands.

Nick retaliated, his eyebrows forming an angry 'v', "I bet you just can't eat hot stuff!"

"I can! But, this porridge is scalding!"

Denny, who seemed amused (or was it satisfied?) by the squabble, leaned across the counter with a smirk on his face, "Can't handle the heat, _Vaughnie_?" His bird, Popper, squawked unpleasantly.

The cowboy flashed a glare at the fisherman with a deep set frown. He completely disregarded Sophia and turned back to the steaming bowl of thick porridge. Obviously trying to control his temper, he said in a refrained tone, "Can't you just make it colder?"

The middle aged man shook his head, crossing his arms, "If you don't like the way I make food, you can leave."

Sophia was shocked, to say the least. Is that how restaurants treat their customers here? Her sister-in-law would be ashamed.

A flouncy looking girl came prancing to Vaughn, wrapping herself around his arm, pressing it against her Lolita clad chest. "Oh, Vaughnie, just try it hot. You might like it!"

Denny piped up, "Heh, Lanna, I think you're making him blush!"

The peeved man none-too-gently pried her off of him. Sophia could see his frustration building. This could end too dramatically for her tastes. "Excuse me," she said, tapping her hand repeatedly on the countertop. After this succeeded in grabbing his attention, Nick turned, surprised to see her, "I'm sorry, Miss. I didn't see you here."

"I know," she pointed at the lacquered menu, elbows on the table, "Can we order now?" She asked, displeased.

Though he appeared to be embarrassed, Nick obviously didn't harbor any guilt regarding the past couple of minutes, otherwise he would have apologized. This didn't make Sophia very happy.

As the attention was now focused on her and Denny, Vaughn took it as a chance to escape the barrage of criticism. Sophia felt the rush of cool air when he quickly left his seat. After the two ordered, she faced her companion, her expression clearly showing her displeasure towards him.

He must have felt her intense stare, because he stopped fiddling with the ragged edge of his menu and looked at her, confused, "What?"

"Why did you do that?"

"Do what?" he repeated.

"Say that to him?"

He seemed to be relieved as he gestured with his hand to dismiss the question, "Oh, that? I was just teasing him."

"It's one thing to tease, another to degrade."

"Aw, come on! I was just having some fun."

"I don't find that very fun." She muttered, irritation spiking as a broken piece of the plastic stool cover poked her leg. She began to eat her lunch that was placed in front of her. For once, she was the bystander instead if the victim. And she liked it even less.

"Look…let's just say me and Vaughn don't get along that well," He pulled a piece of bread off of his sandwich and fed it to Popper. Realizing his own moodiness, he plastered on a cheery face, "But, how about we change the subject?" He leaned on the counter, the corner of his mouth curling upward charmingly as he looked at her.

The two continued to talk over their lunch. Sophia had a difficult time picturing the man in front of her holding a grudge with someone. He seemed to always be so happy and carefree. But, she knew that even people such as him can dislike another if fueled with enough reason.

Even so, she thought it petty and childish that Denny would go and patronize the man. And over what? Porridge? No, she didn't find it fun, whatsoever.

-oOo-

"Is that what I think it is?"

She couldn't believe it. They found one. Right here, the most inconspicuous of places.

"Yep. That's a sunstone, alright."

Finn and Sophia just happened to be walking by the rundown windmill on her property when they felt it: A painless, prickling sensation, as if their bodies were about to fall asleep. And it grew stronger as they neared the decrepit building.

Now, they were staring at the luminescent orb hidden between thick, long blades of uncut grass. How could they have missed it? The two sat in the grass with only the sound of cicadas as the contemplated what to do next.

Sophia spoke up first, hesitance heavy in her voice, "Should I…pick it up…?" She never really had to deal with type of circumstance in the past, surprisingly enough.

"I guess so…" Finn floated above the object, his dark eyes holding curiosity.

Gingerly, the girl placed the sunstone in her palms. With a small intake of breath, she could see, upon closer inspection, how striking it was. Its smooth surface seemed to reflect the early evening sky and sent a soft glow onto the contours of Sophia's face. The glass-like stone pulsated warmth as well, making her fingers tingle even more.

Sophia yelped in surprise as the sunstone began to disintegrate in her hands. Its form faded away until it was a singular orange light and that, too, quickly disappeared. She felt as though a flood of warm water had washed over her. "What was that?"

The sprite seemed to snap out of his daze, "I think it was supposed to do that."

"Well, I hope you're right, because I don't believe we're going to get it back." She stood up from the ground, straightening her shirt.

Suddenly, sounds of upset water caught their attention. They bolted toward the unknown source, the sense of worry prominent. Detecting movement from the corner of her eye, Sophia pointed to her left. "There!"

They reached the coast just in time to see a smooth flat stone emerge from the sea, producing liquid halos that rippled away from its form.

Panting, Finn remarked, "Well, this can't be a coincidence."

Staying silent, Sophia crouched down to get a better look. With the same hesitance she used with the sunstone, the girl placed her palm against the rock. It was slick, not surprising, and had mossy underwater plants growing on it.

Another strange feeling came over Sophia, but it was different. Her eyelids became heavy and her mind began to fog. There was something…something there. Or there was supposed to be…

"Uh, Sophia? Are you okay?"

The sprite's voice brought her back, and she separated her hand the flat surface, but not her eyes. "This leads somewhere."

"The stone? How do you know?"

"I just…"She paused, attempting to describe what she just went through, "I just know. I sensed it."

Finn drew closer to her, his interest piquing, "How'd it get here?"

"I'm not sure. I just know that it leads somewhere." Sophia scanned the sea with calculating eyes, as if hoping she'd find a confirmation to her statement.

"Like what?" he mimicked her actions.

"Perhaps…perhaps, an island."

She vaguely registered the small gasp from Finn, "Really? Then, maybe if we found more sunstones, more rocks will appear and lead us to it!"

Sophia faced him, a small smile played her lips, "Exactly my thoughts." In her mind, though, a thought stewed. What was that feeling? It was like someone told her that the rocks would form a path. But, not a voice. An elusive, transparent thread of a message. She knew it was not her own thought. She needed to know more.

**A/N: I happened to come across the diner scene online and was pretty shocked myself by how Nick treated Vaughn. Isn't the customer always right? :P**


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N: I couldn't do it. I HAD to write during vacation. I've been itching to do this chapter (even though I have a love/hate relationship with it) and it turned out a lot longer than I thought it would. **

**Anyway, thanks for reading and reviewing!**

Sophia's hands were flying like a mechanical packing system as she preserved jar after jar of her ripened tomatoes. She was often called to help with this certain task by her mother, and it often took hours to finish. Needless to say, she had grown accustomed to it. Also, Sophia was booking it because she was attending the Fireworks Festival and didn't want to be late and mentally chastised herself for not preserving the food the day before.

Even though she was overall pleased with her crops, which not only consisted of tomatoes, but also onion, basil, and a small bushel of sage, Sophia knew that the resulting income would only provide for the bare necessities, especially since she still needed to pay for the land.

The witch stopped, feeling a familiar vibration in her pocket. Wiping her hands on a dish rag, she pulled out the clunky, cheap cellphone she bought the first week she moved. Because she was usually with Angie or her family, Sophia never had any use for a phone when she lived in Castanet. She flipped it open, seeing her friend's name in pixelated text. Not surprising, since the girl called almost every week. "Hello?"

"Guess what!" Angie sounded as if she were about to burst from elation. She had been this way quite often lately. Not waiting for a response, she announced with an innocent sense of joy, "Today's David and I's two month anniversary!"

"Congratulations," Sophia said, but frowned inwardly, taking a seat at the table. Whenever Angie would be in a relationship (she was usually never single), she tended become swept away or enraptured by the romance and frivolity of it all, acting like a schoolgirl caught in an amorous wave. This made Sophia worry that her friend might do something she'd regret. She knew people in Castanet had started to whisper about Angie, and they weren't things you'd tell your parents.

"Thanks! You know, Sophia," she dropped her voice, favoring a quieter tone. _Her parents must be home._ "I think he's the one."

Again, not a shocking statement. "Like how Garrett was the one? And Roy?" she teased, but really, she wanted her to know how silly she sounded.

Angie let out a huffy whine, "No, for real this time! He's perfect for me."

A rap on the door broke the conversation, except for Angie, who started to list all the amazing qualities of her boyfriend. _The must be Denny._ She opened the door, revealing the cheeky faced man. "Hey, Sophia. You ready to go?"

Upon hearing the masculine voice, Angie took in an exaggerated amount of air, "Who is _that,_ Sophia? Is that a _boy_?" she proceeded to squeal excitedly, "Oh my gosh, are you going on a DATE?!"

The witch held the phone a few inches away from her ear, "Excuse me a second, Denny." She pointed to her mobile, "I have to take care of this."

He smiled, "No problem. I get it. I'll just wait ahead."

She gave him an apologetic look before closing the door, leaving it cracked open once he walked a few yards away. She regarded her friend on the other line, "I'm just going to a festival with a friend. Not a date." She emphasized, changing her shirt to a nicer navy blue spaghetti top.

"What kind of festival is it?" _What a prier. _

"A firework festival?" She answered, a questioning lilt to her voice.

Angie made a noise of confirmation, "Uh, yeah! That's a date, especially if he asked you." She added in a sing song voice, "Which, I bet he did!"

"Look, I need to go. He's waiting for me." Sophia paused, "And it's not a date!"

"It is!"

"No, it's not."

Angie pushed further, "Yes, it is! Hey, Dad! " Sophia heard a door open on the other line. What her friend said next made her groan. "You'll never guess what I just found out!" The witch heard a cheery voice, though it was too far away to distinguish the words. "Sophia's going in a _date_!" The response prompted a squeal from Julius, which was rather similar to his daughter's, following some 'fabulous' vocabulary. _Why am I still listening to this?_

"I have to go, bye!" she said quickly, hanging up before Angie and her father playfully berated her any further.

Locking the door, Sophia walked over to Denny, who was admiring the large boxes of produce that were piled next to the house. "Did you grow all of these?" he asked, hinting awe.

"Yes, though it's not a lot." They began to walk down the path to the boat that would take them to Meadow Island, a section of land used specifically for festivals such as this.

"Still, what you're doing is so cool. It's even cooler that it's something you love."

"Is that why you fish? Because you love it?"

Denny nodded, "I love it more than anything. It doesn't pay much, but I can't imagine working a cramped office or something for more money," His expression hardened, "Some people just don't get that."

Sophia mulled this over, "True. But, there are also people who don't have the opportunity to do what they love." As she glanced at him, she noticed that a certain 'accessory' was missing, "Where's Popper?"

"Oh, I left him at my place. He's scared of fireworks."

There was a distant crack, following a sizzle of pops, making Sophia jump. She craned her head to the darkening sky, seeing a green firework die, and pouted slightly, "Aww, they already started."

Seeing her disappointment, Denny reassured her with a small laugh, "Don't worry, Gannon's just giving them a test run. We have plenty of time." Sophia could feel his dark warm eyes on her, so she dared to look back. His expression was one she'd never seen before and she began to wonder worriedly if he was getting sick. Cocking her head, earrings releasing a small chime, she inquired, "Are you feeling alright?"

Turning his face away with a slight jerk, Denny smiled, scratching the back of his head, which wasn't clad by his bandana for once, "Ah, it must be the heat." He directed his attention pointedly to the boat that was on the coast, "There's our ride ." Along with them, there were a few stragglers boarding. The ship shortly set sail, producing small gusts of salty air and the calming slosh of water against its flanks.

The two strolled over to the edge, leaning their arms against it. "So, besides fireworks, what other activities are there?" Sophia asked, pushing her hair back when the wind brushed it over her face.

Denny shrugged, almost dismissively, "Meh, not much. People usually just walk around. I actually think this festival is kind of boring, but I usually went alone."

On the contrary, Sophia thought it sounded enjoyable. She preferred to relax rather than the constant need to be entertained. And after the past week, she really needed it.

She and Finn had scavenged the whole perimeter of her farm, looking for concealed sun stones. Any free time they obtained was spent searching, though it was fruitless. Left exasperated and empty-handed, Sophia was glad to hear there was a festival right around the corner. She hoped it would release the tension and ease her spinning mind, even if it was only a temporary remedy.

It didn't take long before the vessel pulled ashore. Everyone aboard emptied onto the dock, Chen's son Charlie sprinting happily like the rambunctious child he was.

The first thing Sophia noticed was how Meadow Island had been perfectly trimmed. It was mowed short just the other day (she assumed, judging by the palpable scent of cut grass) as to minimize the risk of ticks clinging to people, but kept long enough for the field to be lush against their feet. There were a few makeshift food stands scattered around with different appetizing scents like hotdogs, fried tempura and (albeit, a faint trace) of beer. Overall, it was a festive, giddy atmosphere.

Denny gestured to the food stands, "Want to get something to eat?"

Sophia nodded and followed him to the nearest one, which was manned by the owner of a café on Sprout Island. Sophia went inside only once, but didn't try any of the food.

After ordering and receiving their dinner, Sophia regarded the sky, and then gestured to the grassy floor, "Let's sit down."

"Oh, alright."

Their voices contrasted as they conversed. A clash of bright and expressive with calm and content. After a few minutes of talking-well, more like Denny gibbering and Sophia attempting to relax- the girl saw how her friend began to fidget. He always seemed to have a difficult time sitting still.

As if on cue, a young man jogged toward Denny, "Hey, man. You want to toss the football with me?" He lifted the object in his hand, bouncing it lightly in his palm.

Denny's eyes lit up, but quickly died back down when he glanced at Sophia. "Nah, I'm good."

By the way his voice held a subtle downcast resistance and how his smile faltered, Sophia knew he was anxious to move around and be active, as was in his nature. She didn't want to hold him back from having a pleasant time. "Go ahead, Denny."

Thick eyebrows raised, he looked at her in question. "You sure?"

"Yes. Go and enjoy yourself."

She could see him fighting between his guilt for leaving her and his boredom when he said, "Okay. Hey, you wanna come, too?"

She shook her head, "No, I'm fine here."

Standing up, a smile stretched across his face, "I won't be long." Then the two ran a considerable distance away so they wouldn't hit somebody with the ball.

A sigh escaped Sophia as she stared back at the sky, which was almost completely dark, then stood and threw away her trash. Under the noise of people talking and children squealing, she heard the distant, comforting sound of waves washing onto the shore. The witch indicated to Denny where she was going, which he responded with a quick thumbs up.

It was a longer walk than Sophia expected, but, nonetheless, she reached the small beach. And she was surprised to find she wasn't alone.

A few yard away from her was Vaughn, his back facing her as he tread the length of the shore. She stopped, unsure whether or not to approach him, but decided to as she propelled herself foreword into a jog as to reach him.

Hearing the soft sound of feet against the sand, the cowboy turned with a grumpy countenance that seemed to be permanently etched onto his face. Despite this, he stopped so Sophia could catch up.

"Hello, Vaughn." She greeted.

He regarded her with an impassive look, "Why aren't you with everybody else?"

"Why aren't _you_?" she countered.

He blinked, not really expecting that remark. Turning his head and tugging his hat lower, he started walking again, "Mirabelle and Julia dragged me to the festival. I usually don't go to any, so I came to the beach so no one would bug me."

"Oh, would you like me to leave?" she asked, pointing her thumb back to the field.

He studied her, a flicker of subtle curiosity in his sharp eyes before saying, "No. That is, you have just as much right to be here as I do."

"Well…Thank you…?" Sophia was unsure what to say next, so she settled for the familiar silence as they continued their walk.

The sound of flexing leather reached her ears and she realized that Vaughn was clenching and unclenching his gloved hands. After a few moments, he released a quick breath and turned to her, "Why did you do that?"

Taken aback by his abruptness, Sophia stopped in her tracks as he did and looked around her feet, thinking she accidentally damaged something. "Do what?"

A growl rumbled from his throat in mild agitation, "You know, back at the diner. You stopped Nick."

She shrugged with a small grin, "What? I was hungry."

"No. Really."

Knowing he wasn't going to take her measly response for an answer, Sophia cast her eyes downward, examining the lock of hair she began to fiddle with. She didn't plan on having this conversation with him, let alone spill the real reason for her actions. "…I was teased a lot where I came from; for something I couldn't change… So, I knew how you felt." A pause snuck its way in her tentative voice, "I'm sorry if I annoyed you by butting in like that, but I didn't want to sit and watch what always happened to me happen to someone else."

Vaughn stayed quiet as he evaluated her answer before saying, "No, it's alright." He continued as the silver haired girl finally looked at him, "It's just, no one's really done anything like that before."

The two were startled as the first official firework of the festival launched into the sky and burst into a pink radiance of raining light. It was quickly followed by more, each their own color and design. Sophia grew a smile as she saw the display, her heart lightening. "Wow…" Without taking her eyes off, she asked, "Are you still going to skip next year's festival?" She couldn't see how he could. It was beautiful.

Though his expression was muted, Vaughn's eyes seemed to gain a light of their own. But, perhaps that was from the reflection of the pyrotechnics. "I don't know. Maybe I will. Fireworks aren't that bad when you're not surrounded by people."

"Hey, Sophia!" She and Vaughn directed their attention to the person coming over the small hill. The cowboy's eyes immediately hardened and his usual petulant expression returned. "Come watch the fireworks with m-" Denny stopped, seeing who was accompanying the girl, a flicker of distain on his face.

Sophia didn't want to leave, but, since she came to the festival with him, she thought it fair to watch the fireworks with him, as well. "I'll be there in a minute!" she assured him, then turned to Vaughn. "Well ,it was nice talking to you, Vaughn. Maybe we can do this again some other time?"

His eyes darted from Denny to her, and then said a word she didn't expect to hear, "…Maybe."

She smiled, satisfied, before giving him a small wave and ran to Denny, her sandy trail veering away from their companion's footprints, which, once again, began to walk alone.

**A/N: Oh, man I hope I'm not rushing things.**

**Don't ask where Finn is. I originally had him in this chapter, but I felt like he was in the way, so I gave him the boot.**


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N: Okay, I honestly have no excuse for my lateness (though AC: New Leaf might have had something to do with it). **

**Just...Just read.**

"What were you two talking about?"

"Hmm?" Sophia gazed at the firework display, only half listening.

"You and Vaughn," Denny glanced at her worriedly, a slight frown on his face, "He didn't say anything hateful to you, did he?"

"No, he didn't." she mused, leaning back with her arms for support as they sat on the ground. In all honesty, she had expected-steeled herself- for an onslaught of harsh words when she had approached Vaughn. Many seemed to think him incapable of anything else and, t o her shame, Sophia had started to believe them. Well, at least a small part of it. Even so, she found herself not caring how he acted. If Vaughn wanted to be cold and brash, then fine. Who was she to tell him to change?

Denny sighed in relief, directing his eyes back to the fireworks, "That's good. And sort of surprising, actually."

"I admit, I was surprised as well," she shrugged, and then playfully added, "You all depict him as some heinous person. I was expecting more of a fight."

Her companion laughed, his white teeth stark against his tanned skin. "Well, sorry to let you down."

The two became quiet, the 'oohs' and 'ahhs' of the spectators resonating over the meadow. In the corner of her eye, Sophia noticed Denny shift, placing himself closer to her. "Did your leg fall asleep?"

"Oh, ah… no." He replied awkwardly, rubbing the back of his neck.

"Okay…" Sophia scooted away from him to replace the original distance they had.

"Sophia…?" Denny looked over at her, his tone carrying an uncharacteristic amount of hesitance, "I know we haven't known each other for that long but, I've grown to like you. A lot."

"I like you too, Denny." Sophia replied, her attention flitting from the pyrotechnics to a pair of children with sparklers, using their dancing luminescence to write in the air.

The young man's eyes lit up with hope, "You do? That's great," He risked edging closer again, their legs almost touching. Clearing his throat, the fisherman gazed at the profile of her face, which seemed to stir a fluster or nervousness. The distance between their hands started to become smaller. "I was thinking…"

And smaller…

"That we should go out."

Sophia stiffened as she felt Denny's pinky curl around hers. _Well, this is new. _Her mind went blank for a fraction of a second before his words dawned on her. _This really IS new._ She quickly freed her pinky and saw him in a new sort of light, her eyes clarifying to his intentions. Her voice came out thin and disbelieving, "…What did you-"

The question halted at her lips as a shock of sensations coursed through her body. It didn't take her long to recognize them. Immediately, the witch stood up, startling Denny with her abruptness, "What are you doing?"

"I'll be right back." She answered, walking towards the source.

"Wait! Sophia!" he reached out to her, only to have his arm flop back down in shock, watching her retreating back, "What just happened?"

The feeling grew stronger the farther away Sophia became from everyone else. Delight ran through her when she caught the soft glow nestled in the grass, so she quickened her pace to a jog. It was a much more diluted light and, if she wasn't searching for it, then it would've evaded her. And no wonder: The sunstone was nearly completely buried in the ground.

Sophia crouched down and began digging out the stone with her fingers. Using the same gentle touch she demonstrated with the first one, the witch cradled the orb in her hands, her happiness spiking from finally discovering another sunstone and having it in her grasp. This time, however, its disintegration didn't surprise her at all. Instead, a smile crept on her face as the expected warm sensation entered and just as quickly left her body.

Sophia stayed crouched for a few moments before sighing and standing up, wiping her filthy hands on her pants.

"Sophia, what were you doing?"

She turned around, paling slightly while she tried to conjure an excuse. "I… thought I saw something." She said lamely, curling her fingers into fists to hide her dirty nails. Lying was not her strong suit.

Denny just stared at her with a furrowed brow, "…and… that's why you came all the way over here…" He obviously didn't believe her.

"Yes! That's exactly why." She nervously tucked a bundle of stray hair behind her ear.

They stood there in silence with their eyes locked on each other before Denny queried, "Is this because I asked you out?"

Sophia almost laughed aloud. Did he really think she left over something as trivial as that? "Of course not."

The fisherman took a couple of steps toward her, his expression unreadable, "Then, are you saying you _do _want to date me?"

"Quite the opposite, actually. I don't want to." They both reflected a frown, but for different reasons.

"So that's it?" Denny couldn't seem to believe it, his voice hollow, "You're going to act like this is nothing?"

"It _is _nothing. Well, for me. I'm not interested in a relationship with anyone."

Denny's flash of irritation melted into relief as he stepped uncomfortably close to her, "I can change that," he squeezed her hand and gazed into her eyes warmly before walking away. "Just because you're playing hard-to-get doesn't mean I'll stop trying!" He announced impishly with a wave and leaving her in her wake.

The sky grew dark as the last of the fireworks died away. Sophia stood alone and confused. She sighed tiredly, just then realizing how exhausted she was. _Today has been socially draining._

-oOo-

"Finn," Sophia gently nudged the sleeping sprite, who rolled over with a moan.

"What is it?" he murmured. Finn rubbed his eyes as he craned his head to look out the window. It was just before dawn.

"I found a sunstone last night."

As she was about to say more, he shot up wearing an incredulous, yet excited, expression, "What?! Well then what are we waiting for? Let's go!"

The two hurried for the mysterious stepping stones. "Look!" as expected, more flat rocks had appeared. This caused the path to be significantly longer, at least ten yards in length.

"Obviously we need to find more." Sophia finalized.

Finn nodded, but then turned to look at her curiously, "Hey, how'd you find one anyway?"

Sophia shrugged, a little unsure how to answer, "I wasn't searching for it. I just… saw its glow."

Finn rubbed his chin in thought, "Hmm… maybe we shouldn't look for them."

Sophia regarded him, shocked, "What? That's why we're here in the first place."

The fairy shook his head sharply, "No, I mean, maybe the stones sort of…come to us," he went on to explain: "We've been looking for them for a week and ended up with nothing. Then, we take one day off, and you just _happen_ to find a sunstone." He crossed his arms with a proud smile, "Coincidence? I don't think so!"

Sophia mulled it over. The idea wasn't _completely_ insane… "It seems plausible. But it's also a very inconsistent method," she paused, then shrugged, "So, do we just continue everyday as normal?"

"I think it's worth a shot. At least for a little while."

"I can do that," Then an idea hit her, "Oh! Now I'll have time to repair the house."

Finn laughed, pointing at her attire, "Yeah, but maybe you should change out of your PJs first."

-oOo-

"This all?"

"Yes."

Alright! That'll be 212 Gs."

Sophia handed Gannon the money, then headed back to the farm. When she reached it, she was surprised to find a visitor. "What are you doing here?"

Vaughn had stepped off the porch and walked toward her, "Mirabelle sent me here to nag you."

"Nag me?" she asked.

"She says you need to buy some farm animals."

"That sounds more like advertising!" she exclaimed as she walked over and emptied the items she bought onto the porch.

Vaughn watched her, "What's all that for?"

Sophia placed a small box of nails onto the porch and opened it, "The house needs some touching up."

The cowboy eyed her with mild curiosity as she pulled a hammer out of the now empty bag and wrenched out the rusted, loose nails from the top step. Curiosity turned to bemusement when Sophia replaced the ancient, rotted wood with a new plank. She then took a rather monstrous nail and positioned it near the corner. Alarm shot through Vaughn like a wicked dart as the girl raised the hammer high and brought it down with unnecessary force toward the metal, "HEY!"

Looking up, Sophia saw strong fingers wrap around her wrist, "What are you? Stupid?" Vaughn shouted.

"Well, in this particular field of work, yes."

The cowboy sighed irritably, swiping the tool out of her hand, "Here, let me do it!" He set to work on the step, using the correct procedure that wasn't nearly as hazardous while Sophia observed.

"You have quite a hand at carpentry, don't you?" she pointed out.

"Not really. Just the basics."

"Even so, it's doing me some good. Do you think you could help me finish the rest?"

He paused to eye her, "Fine, but you're doing your equal share."

"Of course."

The two spent time finishing the steps, washing the porch, and taking a short break.

"Vaughn,"

He peered over his shoulder at Sophia, "What?"

She held aloft a can of paint and a roller with a sheepish smile, "Ready for round two?"

He turned to her, "I think I should head back to the store. Mirabelle will be…" His face became one of annoyance by the name, "Ugh…Mirabelle. On second thought," He grabbed the paint she held, "I'll stay here."

The girl laughed softly, handing him a paint can-opener, "Need an escape?"

He scoffed, "More like a rescue."

Sophia eyed him with interest, "Oh? And what exactly am I rescuing you from?"

"Hell." Vaughn looked down at himself, "Can I take this off? I don't want to get paint on it and I have another one underneath." He asked, gesturing to his torso.

"By all means."

He proceeded to take his vest off, along with his buttoned shirt and his hat, leaving him in a white tee-shirt.

"Here," Sophia outstretched her arms, "I will put them somewhere." He complied, giving her his shirts and, hesitantly, his hat.

Finally, they started to paint the walls in her house and Sophia was grateful she laid down the tarps that morning. Earlier on, she had planned to do this task with magic, but she found this way to be more…enjoyable, in a way. Though their words were few, they were welcomed.

The work was halfway done and Sophia was using a long roller extender to reach the top of the wall. Her arms were aching, so she brought it down with a swoop to rest the pole on her shoulder. The girl winced when she felt it hit something behind her, which followed with a sound of surprise.

When she turned around, Sophia gasped, seeing a pale robin's egg blue streak across Vaughn's cheek. The more she gaped at him, the more comical it looked, with his face scrunched up from the impact and the paint standing out hilariously. The attempt to stifle her laugh was virtually futile as it poured out when she cried, "Oh my…goddess! I…I'm so sorry!"

At the sound, Vaughn opened his eyes, angered, "Watch what you're doing!"

But, she only burst from another fit of laughter, pointing, "Your hair!" The paint had gone up the side of his head, stopping where his eyes were, the hair there was blue and sticking straight up. It seemed she had hit him twice!

He growled, but before he could scold any further, Sophia quickly grabbed a wet washcloth and stepped back in front of him. "Here, let me help you." She began to carefully wipe away the paint, revealing smooth skin. Unfortunately for her, she didn't notice Vaughn bring up his brush only to paint a fat blue streak up her forehead, causing her bangs to stick up in a similar fashion. Feeling the cold liquid, Sophia gave another long gasp, her mouth the shape of an 'o'. Vaughn's lips quivered ever so slightly, fighting off laughter by clearing his throat and turning away.

"Vaughn! What _are_ you doing? What's taking so long?"

The two looked at the door, which was left open. Mirabelle, a plump, middle-aged woman, stood with her hands on her hips.

"Shit…" Vaughn groaned quietly. "I was helping her, woman."

"YOU? Helping someone? I haven't heard _that_ in a long time! Either way, you need to get back to work."

He sighed, setting down the paintbrush and grabbing his shirt and hat, deciding to only put on the latter. With a nod of his head to Sophia, Vaughn left.

Mirabelle turned to her, "Sophia, have you-_eeuoooh…"_ she cringed, "Oh dear, whatever…look… you're trying to pull; it isn't working."

"I will keep that in mind, ma'am."

The older woman soon followed Vaughn.

Finn came through the entrance not a moment later, "Hey, Soph. Who was-" He halted, eyes bugging out before busting with laughter.

**A/N: I know nothing about carpentry. D:**


End file.
